The De Anza Associated Student Body and the Institute for Community and Civic Engagement teamed up for their last public promotion of Measure E last Monday through Thursday in the main quad.
Measure E is a parcel tax that would cost local residents $69 per year for six years. It would include citizen oversight and no money for administrator salaries.
“All of us have been going to the actual campaign site and have been phone banking hours on end,” said 19-year-old political science major Adam Coquia, DASB chair of marketing, said.
Phone banking is a way to reach a wider voter demographic by calling and speaking to potential voters about issues. Students from the various De Anza student-run organizations have been phone banking with the DASB Senate for “easily over 100 hours,” Coquia said.
Clubs also took part in phone banking at the Measure E campaign office. The campaign office gave clubs with the highest number of phone banking hours a $25 gift card to Staples for their campaigning efforts.
Wellstone Fellowship student So Choi, a 19-year-old cognitive science major at De Anza, said that the ICCE has also been holding political rallies and “house parties” to help fundraise for the cause. The last house party raised over $7,000 from 54 donors.
The DASB Marketing Committee is showing presentations in classrooms to help reach out to students who might not come by the main quad.
“Classroom presentations give us a more hands-on, personal interaction with the students,” 21-year-old biochemistry and engineering major Jenn Uriva said. “[This gives] them a chance to be educated on the budget crisis and grasp the importance of this measure from their fellow peers.”
There was some conflict surrounding the presentations. By law, faculty members cannot show support for the measure while at work, due to a conflict of interest. However, students may proceed with the presentations as long as instructors remain impartial.
“Dealing with the conflict of interest with the teachers has not been a problem at all. We just have to make sure we follow the correct guidelines,” Uriva said. Presentations will continue through Nov. 2.
De Anza student communities will continue to spread the message about Measure E, phone banking and fundraising until the Nov. 2 election day.
